Harald II of Norway
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Harald Greyhide (Old Norse: Haraldr gráfeldr, Norwegian: Harald Gråfell, Danish: Harald Graafeld) (d. 976), was the son of Eirik Bloodaxe and a grandson of Harald Fairhair. After his father's death, he and his brothers allied with King Harald Gormson of Denmark against King Haakon. After Haakon's death at Fitjar in 961, Harald and his brothers became kings of Norway, but they had little authority outside Western Norway. Harald, by being the oldest, was the most powerful of the brothers. He attempted to strengthen his rule by killing the local rulers Sigurd Haakonsson, Tryggve Olafsson and Gudrød Bjørnsson. He also undertook a Viking expedition to Bjarmaland in northern Russia. In 976, he was tricked into coming to Denmark and killed in a plot planned by Sigurd Haakonsson's son Haakon Sigurdsson, who had become an ally of Harold Bluetooth.
| Preceded by Haakon the Good |
King of Norway 961–976 |
Succeeded by Haakon Sigurdsson |
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